Diamonds are commonly found in jewellery, and are the most favoured stone for engagement rings. They are chosen for their hardness, value and brilliance. When choosing a diamond, it is important to take into account the “four C's”; carat weight, clarity, cut and colour. Each of these features affects the overall appearance of the stone.
To most wearers, the “four C” credentials of a diamond are secondary to whether the diamond “sparkles” and has fire, life and brilliance. This is determined to some extent by cut, clarity and transparency, but also by how clean the surface of the diamond is. A diamond rapidly loses its brilliance when it becomes opaque through contact with substances such as moisturising lotions, and eventually becomes dirty when skin particles and dust adhere and accumulate behind the diamond. This will not wash off with water.
Since diamonds are favoured for engagement rings, which are worn every day, they very quickly become dirty. Often the wearers see a reduction in fire, life and brilliance within just a few days of constant wear. Diamonds have a very high affinity for grease, and day-to-day activities such as showering, doing the washing up and applying hand cream, all leave a residue on the diamond, which causes it to become dull. Oils and greases are hydrocarbons, which tend to stick well to surfaces that do not contain oxygen. A diamond surface, therefore, which is pure carbon, is ideal.
The most effective way to clean a diamond is to take it to a jeweller, and have it professionally cleaned. Jewellers often have specialist cleaning solutions and ultrasonic cleaning machines at their disposal, which are very effective. However, this often incurs a fee, and it may not be practical for a person to take all of their diamond jewellery to the jewellers on a very regular basis. Additionally, people are sometimes embarrassed by the dirt that builds up on their jewellery, particularly in the case of diamond earrings, and often prefer to clean their jewellery at home.
Over the years, a number of diamond jewellery cleaning methods have been used in the home. For example, a solution of washing up liquid in water can often be effective, as can soaking the jewellery in alcohol, such as gin. One method that has been reported is the use of effervescent denture cleaners, such as Steradent® or Poligrip®. However, many people would be very hesitant to use this method. Firstly, it is not recommended by the manufacturers, and secondly, tests show that metals, such as 18K to 9K gold, and also silver will tarnish upon exposure to most dental cleaning products. Therefore this method would certainly not be considered suitable for all diamond jewellery.
Although several cleaning methods are known in the art, no satisfactory cleaning method has been found which achieves results close to that of a professional clean by the jeweller in their shop.